Inlaid vitreous material



Jan. 16, 1939. F SOHN 2,143,744

INLAID VITREOUS MATERIAL Filed Jan. 21, 1935 Patented Jan. 10, 19392,143,744 INLAID VITREOUS MATERIAL Frank Sohn, Chicago, Ill

signments, to Idbbe P iny, Toledo, Ohio y-OWens-Ford assignor, by mesneas- Glass Com- Application January 21, 1935, Serial No. 2,642

2 Claims.

a variety of contrasting colors and various light- 20 reflectingcharacteristics.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide inlayinghard vitreous material with other vitreous material having similar 25ferent optical characteristics.

sary. v

A further object is to provide an inlaid decorative vitreous structureincluding 9.,

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and the appendedclaims.

In the drawing: 55 Figure 1' is a front elevation of one embodiment ofthis invention and illustrates inlaid vitreous slab constructed withthis invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view through the a portion of an inaccordance embodiment illustrated in Fig. l and taken on a 1 linesubstantially corresponding to line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the inlays after being completelyfinished and ready to be inserted in the vitreous base.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating inlays ofslightly different shape in cross section and snugly fitting the surfaceoutlines of the depressions.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the inlays shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the embodiment illustrated comprisesthe usual hard vitreous slab 9 having a plurality of inlays 2, 3, l and5 embedded in the face thereof. may be of any desired distribution ofthe inlaid pieces.

drawing is merely illustrative.

The slabs I, particularly when used for building are comparatively largeand usually inch thick. In the present embodilike characteristics.strips may be. coated with the ordinary so-called "silver coating" ofthe usual mirror or with other reflecting coatings of a desired color toprovide the desired reflecting decorative eilect. The inlays 3, 4 and 5in the 2 rected through the openings in the templet, and depressions 8corresponding to the templet openings, and somewhat deeper than theinlays to be inserted therein, are formed in sand-blast. The crosssectional contour of one of these depressions is indicated by the dottedline in Fig. 3. The sand-blast normally forms slightly concavedepressions usually having slightly angular or arcuate side walls asindicated at 9 and with comparatively sharply defined corners adfinishedsurface. Relatively thin pieces of vitreous material, having the desiredphysical and optical characteristics, are formed of a size tosubstantially fit the surface outlines of these depressions.

In Fig. 2 the inlays 2 and 3 are shown in section after being completelymounted in the depressions with their surfaces flush with the surface ofthe vitreous base I. In mounting these inlays, a suitable cement ofpreferably plastic asphalt or similar material It! is first inserted inthe depression and the inlay is pressed therein until the surface isexactly flush with the surface of the base. Thesides of the inlayspreferably provide a slight clearance between the inlay and the arcuatesides of the depressions 8. This clearance allows the cement ID to flowupwardly around the sides of the inlay to a point closely adjacent thesurface. The inlays are, therefore, securely held in place by thecement. The sandblast leaves ,the depression with a slightlyroughenedsurface which assists the adhesion of the cement thereto.

While any suitable cement may be used, asphalt or pitch or the like, oran asphaltic cement which permanently remains somewhat plastic, ispreferable. The inlays may be molded to shapes corresponding with thedepressions or they may be cut from suitable pieces of material, asshown in Fig. 4. If desired, the surface of the inlay may accuratelyfill the surface outlines of the depression and the material may beground away at H to provide a suitable clearance for the cemen If morethan enough cement is supplied in the depressions, the surplus willsqueeze through between the edges of the inlay and the base while it isbeing inserted and the cement will completely fill the space beneath theinlay when the inlays are pressed securely into place with their exposedsurfaces flush with the surface of the base.

It will be apparent that this method of inlaying vitreous material withcontrasting vitreous inlays provides a structure having peculiarlydesirable decorative effects, these effects being prothe base by theduced by the contrasting colors and finishes and reflectingcharacteristics of the various inlays and mirrored inlays,particupolished surface of the base, which is usually black in color,and with the contrasting colors of the opaque or translucent inlays,provides a decorative slab or sign having a perspective effect nototherwise obtainable in vitreous material having a flat polishedsurface.

It is impossible to illustrate in a drawing the extraordinarilybeautiful effects which may be obtained in the practice of thisinvention. Howin Fig. 1 an attempt has been made to illustrate the baseI as having a highly polished black surface; the border 2 as transparentglass having a reflecting backing of a desired color to produce a mirroreffect; and the inlays 3, 4 and 5 as red, blue and green, respectively.Also, as previously stated, the inlays may be transparent, opaque, ortranslucent in accordance with a preferred design and the contrastingreflecting effects desired. Suitable distribution of contrasting colorsand adjacent surfaces having different reflecting characteristicsenables the fabrication of a vitreous article in which portions appearto stand out in relief and wherein a depth and perspective effect may beobtained to a degree heretofore considered impossible. Remarkablybeautiful changeable effects are constantly produced by either normal orartificial changes in the intensity and angle of light rays striking thesurface of the material.

Modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated and it isdesired, therefore, that the inventon be limited only by the prior artand the scope of the appended claims.

- Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A decorative article comprising a vitreous base having depressonstherein, asphalt in said depressions, and pieces of vitreous materialembedded in said asphalt and completely filling the surface outlines ofsaid depressions.

2. A decorative article comprising a vitreous base having a depressionin the face thereof deeper than an inlay to be inserted therein, avitreous inlay in said base having its exposed surface flush with thesurface of said base and completely filling the surface outline of saiddepression, and a layer of cement filling said inlay and extendingupwardly around the sides thereof closely adjacent the surface outline.

FRANK SDI-IN.

the space below M

